'SNL' banks biggest premiere ratings in 8 years

Alec Baldwin as Donald Trump and Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton on NBC's "Saturday Night Live." AP NBC's "Saturday Night Live" opened its 42nd season to its biggest premiere ratings in eight years.

Hosted by "Suicide Squad" star Margot Robbie with musical guest The Weeknd, the sketch show's overnight live- and same-day-viewership rating showed a 29% increase over last year's season premiere, according to early Nielsen measurements of households in 56 local markets.

That also means Saturday's episode ranks as its highest-rated season premiere since 2008, an election year when Michael Phelps hosted with musical guest Lil Wayne and alum Tina Fey appeared as then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

More ratings information will be released later this week, which will include total viewership.